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This chapter is devoted to nomenclature: systematically formulated names for specific entities. Biological nomenclature dates back at least to the 18th century. Since the mid-20th century, many ... More

This chapter is devoted to nomenclature: systematically formulated names for specific entities. Biological nomenclature dates back at least to the 18th century. Since the mid-20th century, many biomedical disciplines have established committees to develop and promulgate official systems of nomenclature. Accelerating knowledge, particularly from molecular biology, necessitated the official biomedical nomenclature systems, sometimes with dramatic results. For instance, a single coagulation factor had been referred to by 14 different names...Less

Harriet S. Meyer

[A]lthough erythrocytes have traditionally been considered relatively inert cellular containers of hemoglobin, they are in fact active in a variety of physiologic processes. L. Calhoun and L. D. Petz(p1843) ... More

[A]lthough erythrocytes have traditionally been considered relatively inert cellular containers of hemoglobin, they are in fact active in a variety of physiologic processes. L. Calhoun and L. D. Petz(p1843) Blood groups are characterized by erythrocyte (red blood cell) antigens with common immunologic properties (eg, group A). Blood group systems are series of such antigens encoded by a single gene or by a cluster of 2 or 3 closely linked homologous genes (eg, ABO system). There are about 600 recognized erythrocyte antigens. The International Society of Blood Transfusion (ISBT) designates around 270 blood group antigens. Of these, around 250 belong to 1 ...Less

Harriet S. Meyer

Several areas of cardiology use simple letter terms and alphanumeric terms that need not be expanded at first mention. International standardization of electrocardiographic nomenclature dates back to ... More

Several areas of cardiology use simple letter terms and alphanumeric terms that need not be expanded at first mention. International standardization of electrocardiographic nomenclature dates back to the mid-20th century. The preferred abbreviation for electrocardiogram and electrocardiographic in JAMA and the Archives Journals is ECG, not EKG. In the following examples of ECG terms note the use of capitals, lowercase letters, subscripts, and hyphens. Leads (recording electrodes) are designated as follows: Example: The abnormality appeared in leads V3 through V6 [not V3-V6 or V3-6]. The main deflections of the ECG (see Figure ) are named in alphabetical sequence (P, Q, ...Less

Margaret A. Winker

Physicians and other health care professionals, patients, researchers, manufacturers, and the public may refer to drugs by several names, including the nonproprietary name (often referred to as the generic ... More

Physicians and other health care professionals, patients, researchers, manufacturers, and the public may refer to drugs by several names, including the nonproprietary name (often referred to as the generic name) and at least 1 proprietary (brand) or trademark name selected by the manufacturer of the drug. Other drug identifiers include chemical names, trivial (unofficial) names, and code designations.(pp12-15) However, only 1 drug name, the nonproprietary name, is regulated internationally to ensure consistent usage and no duplication with other drugs. Once a drug has been assigned a nonproprietary name, the nonproprietary name should always be used to refer to the drug. ...Less

Margaret A. Winker

UPDATE: Equipment, Devices, and Reagents, we will no longer require the inclusion of the location of the manufacturer. This is so easy to look up online, should anyone desire more specific details, that ... More

UPDATE: Equipment, Devices, and Reagents, we will no longer require the inclusion of the location of the manufacturer. This is so easy to look up online, should anyone desire more specific details, that we believe it is not necessary to continue to require this. This change was made October 4, 2011.As with drugs and isotopes, nonproprietary names or descriptive phrasing is preferred to proprietary names for devices, equipment, and reagents, particularly in the context of general statements and interchangeable items (eg, urinary catheters, intravenous catheters, pumps). However, if several brands of the same product are being compared or if the ...Less

Harriet S. Meyer

When new nomenclature is presented, it often looks odd to practising biochemists and is not always ap- preciated. Even systems such as the one-letter codes for amino acids, which have been universally ... More

When new nomenclature is presented, it often looks odd to practising biochemists and is not always ap- preciated. Even systems such as the one-letter codes for amino acids, which have been universally adopted, met with some skepticism at first. R. Cammack Every cell division involves the copying of 6 billion base pairs (bp) of DNA. F. S. Collins and J. M. Trent Standards for molecular nomenclature are set jointly by the International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (IUBMB) and the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC). The recommendations in this section are based on conventions put forth by the ...Less

Harriet S. Meyer

Thrombosis may be regarded as an accident of nature that has not had time to adapt through the lengthy process of evolution to the advances of modern medicine, which allow patients to survive the hemostatic ... More

Thrombosis may be regarded as an accident of nature that has not had time to adapt through the lengthy process of evolution to the advances of modern medicine, which allow patients to survive the hemostatic challenge of major surgery and trauma but leave them vulnerable to venous thrombosis. R. W. Colman et al(p3) …each milliliter of blood contains enough clotting material to clot all the fibrinogen in the body in 10 to 15 s. R. I. Handin(p340) Hemostasis consists of platelet plug formation (primary hemostasis) and blood coagulation (secondary hemostasis, coagulation, clotting). Hemostasis and its control involve complex interactions of more than ...Less

Margaret A. Winker

Isotopes may be referred to in the medical literature alone or as a component of a radiopharmaceutical administered for therapeutic or diagnostic purposes. The nomenclature for the isotopes incorporated ... More

Isotopes may be referred to in the medical literature alone or as a component of a radiopharmaceutical administered for therapeutic or diagnostic purposes. The nomenclature for the isotopes incorporated in radiopharmaceuticals follows the international nonproprietary name (INN) drug nomenclature and therefore differs from that of isotopes that occur as elements alone. An isotope referred to as an element rather than as part of the name of a chemical compound may be described at first mention by providing the name of the element spelled out followed by the isotope number in the same typeface and type size (no hyphen, subscript, or ...Less

Harriet S. Meyer

Naming things is essential for people to understand one another, no matter what language or field of interest is involved. This is as true for enzymes, genes and chemicals as it is for birds, food, flowers, ... More

Naming things is essential for people to understand one another, no matter what language or field of interest is involved. This is as true for enzymes, genes and chemicals as it is for birds, food, flowers, etc. Keith Tipton and Sinéad Boyce(p34) Molecules and their interactions underlie every area of medicine. Many classes of molecules are described according to rules or conventions, some of which are covered in other sections of this chapter. The Joint Commission on Biochemical Nomenclature (JCBN) formulates nomenclature policy for classes of biochemicals; see http://www.chem.qmul.ac.uk/iupac/jcbn/index.html#1. (JCBN enzyme nomenclature is described in , Enzyme Nomenclature.) The National Center ...Less

Harriet S. Meyer

Two colloquial shorthand expressions quantify an individual’s obstetric history: GPA and TPAL. The GPA and TPAL expressions are familiar and widely used clinically. However, they are also recognized as ... More

Two colloquial shorthand expressions quantify an individual’s obstetric history: GPA and TPAL. The GPA and TPAL expressions are familiar and widely used clinically. However, they are also recognized as imprecise and lacking in standardization. (pp225-226)The letters G, P, and A (or Ab) accompanied by numbers indicate number of pregnancies, births of viable offspring, and number of spontaneous or induced abortions, respectively. Definitions of viability vary and in articles should be specified. In the expansions below, the clinical meaning associated with the GPA shorthand appears; the Latin terms refer to the individual (see any medical dictionary): For example, G3, P2, A1 ...Less